How old is he, Bee? We use quite a few videos, DVDs, and computer games in our homeschool, so I may have some suggestions for you. One suggestion (that would work with any age) is an exercise/sports type game for his gaming system -- something along the lines of Wii Sports or Playstation EyeToy games. Those games are a lot of fun, and also get kids off the couch and moving around. You could use them as a little "recess" break in between tough subjects. It will definitely make homeschooling a lot more fun for both of you -- good exercise, and great stress relief! I give you a lot of credit for homeschooling your ds. It's a lot easier when you've had your kids since birth, and have helped to shape their values and beliefs. It's a lot harder when you're starting with an older child whose upbringing has been much different than you may have preferred. It's so hard to change old habits, and to get kids to respect you and obey you when you need to be stricter than they've experienced in the past. I hope your dh is on board with all of the changes, as his enthusiasm and encouragement will go a long way toward helping your ds enjoy homeschooling (and the rest of his new life!) Cat

It sounds like you're really pressed for time, and are too stressed to do a lot of planning for every single class, so I'm going to suggest BJU HomeSat DVDs. You choose a grade level, pay one price, and BJU sends you everything you need for the entire school year. The only things you might want to add to your order are the tests and test answer keys for the subjects that don't already include them. If your dd is working at a higher or lower level for a few classes, BJU allows you to substitute 2 courses for different grade levels. As an example, you could choose the 5th grade program with 6th grade English and 4th grade Math. BJU offers a lot of motel meetings, where you can speak with a representative and look at the books and DVDs for each grade. There are also samples of the DVD lessons online, so you and your dd can see if they might work for you. BJU's programs aren't cheap, but by the time you buy several resources for every school subject, you may find that you've spent a lot more than you realized -- and you won't have the DVD teachers to teach the lessons for you, which can be such a blessing when you're short on time. You get the teacher's manuals in your kit, but most of mine are still shrinkwrapped because the DVD teachers are so thorough; yo really don't have to do much "teaching" if you don't have the time. Abeka offers a similar program, but we haven't used it, so I can't comment on the day-to-day aspects of it. The Abeka DVDs are structured differently from the BJU program, so you may want to look at samples of each before making a decision. Of course, the DVD option may not be right for your family, but if you're worried that your dd isn't getting all of her subjects, it could be a convenient way to put your mind at ease. Good luck -- and don't beat yourself up over this! Your dd will catch up, and everything will be fine. Cat

Thank you for the suggestion -- I will look for the book! Cat

I think you made a wise choice! Cat

Just being nosy, but what name did you like? Cat

Well said, AuntPol! Cat

While it sounds like your dd's father said a very stupid thing, unless your dd's name is truly awful, I vote for letting her use a different name without changing it legally. There's still plenty of time between now and when she turns 18, so it's not a huge rush to make the new name her legal name. I remember that when I was young, lots of names sounded a whole lot more exciting than mine, but when I think back to that time, I am very glad I didn't legally name myself after one of Charlie's Angels or the Bionic Woman! Changing your name is a big step, and it sounds like your dd is dealing with lots of unpleasant issues regarding her father -- and you are, too. I know it's not up to me, and that I don't know anything about your situation, but I think letting your dd go by the name of her choice (and even "trying out" different names) for the next few years would be the wisest choice. This way, she has a chance to grow up a bit before making such a dramatic change, and both of you have time to deal with your personal issues and see if the name change is really that important, or if the life changes are what really matter. We change so much during our teenage years, even with the best of home situations, and your dd has a lot more changes to do through before she grows up. I would really hesitate to do anything legally until she's almost 18. Just my uneducated opinion! Cat

Note: This is a cross-post from the General board. I posted my message there first, and then realized it was probably better to post to this board instead. I hope it's ok to have posted in both places, as I didn't know how to delete my other thread. Hi! We've been using the BJU DVD program for the past few years, but I'm finding that the lessons are far too easy for my ds, who just turned 9. We've been doing 3rd grade BJU for most of the classes, but substituted 4th grade math and 4th grade reading in the hope that it would make things a bit more challenging. I should add that I don't want school to be challenging to the point where it's complete drudgery; I'd just like to see ds not score 100% on every single test without ever having to study at all. It's becoming clear to me that the DVD program, while ds enjoys it, may not be the best choice for us. That's why I am considering implementing a more classical education program... but I don't know how to get started because ds seems to be at an "in-between" age, and the BJU materials don't seem to fit in with the classical model. (As an example, ds has only done American History so far, up through the Civil War/Wild West era -- and BJU Heritage Studies is very light, so it's really nothing more than an overview of history, without much depth or detail.) HELP! I liked the DVDs because they were so easy for me -- I was basically the teacher's assistant, and the DVD teacher taught all of the concepts and assigned the work. I think that, overall, it's a solid program, and I have no complaints about it except that I think that in order for it to work for ds, I'd have to advance him by a few years, and then the themes of the material might be too mature for him. (He can read and comprehend beyond the high school level, but he's still a typical 9 year-old kid -- and I want him to stay that way!) Anyway, I have probably done a terrible job of explaining this, because I'm just starting to hash this out in my mind and am feeling pretty clueless right now, but I'm hoping someone can point me in the right direction in terms of how I can get started on a classical track, considering where we are now. I have the WTM book, but it seems like we've done things quite differently and would need to "catch up," yet I don't want to feel like we're moving backward, either. Ok, I'll stop typing now -- I'm rambling and getting more confusing! I'd really appreciate any info and advice! Thanks! Cat

Thanks, Carrie -- I'll check out the resources you mentioned! Cat

Hi! We've been using the BJU DVD program for the past few years, but I'm finding that the lessons are far too easy for my ds, who just turned 9. We've been doing 3rd grade BJU for most of the classes, but substituted 4th grade math and 4th grade reading in the hope that it would make things a bit more challenging. I should add that I don't want school to be challenging to the point where it's complete drudgery; I'd just like to see ds not score 100% on every single test without ever having to study at all. It's becoming clear to me that the DVD program, while ds enjoys it, may not be the best choice for us. That's why I am considering implementing a more classical education program... but I don't know how to get started because ds seems to be at an "in-between" age, and the BJU materials don't seem to fit in with the classical model. (As an example, ds has only done American History so far, up through the Civil War/Wild West era -- and BJU Heritage Studies is very light, so it's really nothing more than an overview of history, without much depth or detail.) HELP! :confused: I liked the DVDs because they were so easy for me -- I was basically the teacher's assistant, and the DVD teacher taught all of the concepts and assigned the work. I think that, overall, it's a solid program, and I have no complaints about it except that I think that in order for it to work for ds, I'd have to advance him by a few years, and then the themes of the material might be too mature for him. (He can read and comprehend beyond the high school level, but he's still a typical 9 year-old kid -- and I want him to stay that way!) Anyway, I have probably done a terrible job of explaining this, because I'm just starting to hash this out in my mind and am feeling pretty clueless right now, but I'm hoping someone can point me in the right direction in terms of how I can get started on a classical track, considering where we are now. I have the WTM book, but it seems like we've done things quite differently and would need to "catch up," yet I don't want to feel like we're moving backward, either. Ok, I'll stop typing now -- I'm rambling and getting more confusing! I'd really appreciate any info and advice! Thanks! Cat